"Choose Life" license plates?

[Danocrat]

You've got to be kidding. Apparently my state of Ohio is now providing them. This little blurb was on The Columbus Dispatch's web site: "Reduced truck tolls on the Ohio Turnpike are in. So are "Choose Life" license plates and an African-American Hall of Fame." I'm not registered so I can't read further but I did find articles about other states.

Poetic Licenses
Are "Choose Life" license plates free speech or state-sponsored infomercials?
By Dahlia Lithwick
Posted Thursday, Feb. 6, 2003, at 3:57 PM PT

This week, Virginia's House of Representatives approved the creation of specialty "Choose Life" license plates. The Iowa state Senate introduced a bill this week that would do the same. The ACLU has threatened to sue if the Virginia measure is signed into law, which will produce the ninth lawsuit over this issue in three years. Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Carolina already have "Choose Life" license plate programs, and 13 other states are considering enacting similar legislation. So, it's probably safe to say that a "Choose Life" tidal wave—and its litigation backlash—is poised to hit the nation.
http://slate.msn.com/id/2078247/

I just can't believe this. This is the first I've heard of this. I wonder if the state proceeds actually do go to right to life groups. Anybody know? If so, then I think it only fair that they provide similar ones supporting other issues, like:
"Choose Life - Abolish Capital Punishment" proceeds go to Amnesty International
"Support your gay community - or we will recruit" proceeds go to Stonewall Union
"Protect the Environment - Eat a Republican" proceeds go to Sierra Club.

Whattaya think?

[Misunderestimator]

1. We've got the "Choose Life" plates in FL..

cute little cartoon stick figures of little children (not babies)... hypocritical crap it is.

I like your ideas. I have a "Save the Panthers" plate myself.

[Sara Beverley]

23. I saw this one" "Pro-mother, pro-child, pro-life."

But pro-mother was first and biggest. Anybody know if this is pro-choice or pro-life mantra?

[katmondoo]

2. We have this in Florida

I went to the tag department and asked for a CHOICE license plate and they said "it's taken" if you can believe that.

[Misunderestimator]

3. "It's taken?" Now that's lame. At least they just told me the truth...

that they don't carry them. Taken? What... they have a limited number of pro-choice plates and they've run out? Must be very limited since I've not seen a one.

[Cuban_Liberal]

4. In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter all that much?

:shrug:

[Misunderestimator]

5. Well, yes, it does. A state is sponsoring a plate that actually opposes

Federal Law (albeit subtly), yet has no plate for the other side (pro-choice) which is in support of the law. I think it is quite troubling actually.

[Cuban_Liberal]

6. Do my wildlife-conservation plates 'subtly oppose' Federal Law?

Part of the cost of my plates goes to support wildlife-conservations efforts that exceed Federal laws on the same subjects. Does that mean they 'subtly oppose' Federal law?

[Misunderestimator]

9. No, those conservation efforts are real... and legal.

Forget my argument since there are a lot of ways to tear it apart... Let's just say that ANTI-CHOICE activists are now getting a state-sponsored way to further their causes, while PRO-CHOICE advocates are not allowed the same thing. Personally, I am extremely insulted when I see one of those plates, especially knowing that there are no pro-choice plates, or I would have one. It gives the false impression that there are thousands of anti-choice citizens all over the state and no pro-choice ones.

Yeah, in the scheme of things, a license plate is no big deal. But it's all the little incidious things added up that turn into fascism.

[dissenting crone]

14. Speaking of the insidious (Please pass along):

I recently received my Florida driver's license renewal form. If I renew by mail, I am "consenting to registration with the Federal Selective Service System, if so required. If under 18 years of age, I understand that I will be registered when I attain 18 years of age as required by federal law."
Verbatim.
No draft? I know this is probably not new news to most DU'ers.
I suggest renewing by phone, which is an option, and that consent is not mentioned. Impossible to renew online at this time (and for the last 5 weeks) because the state "express site" doesn't function. I imagine renewing in person would require consent.

Interesting. If I had consented, would the SS System draft an old crone? Probably, because I'm a dissenter. Hmmmm.

As for the "Choose Life" tags, the local office told me it cost $60,000 to coin a new slogan/i.e. "Choice".
Damn.

[Misunderestimator]

16. Now that IS interesting.... and Welcome to DU.

I had renewed online, well, actually for an address change, about a year ago. I did not know that their site was down. And for five weeks? It must be intentional, and I would bet, collusive.

[dissenting crone]

18. I agree

and thanks for the welcome.
I had wanted to post this on the Florida section, but haven't enough posts yet to do that.
What gets me is that small-print message (even though it's in darker letters) won't get read by many folks renewing in a hurry.

[SheilaT]

17. Same thing here in Kansas.

When my 17 year old got his license recently, I was incensed to see that getting the license automatically registers him at age 18. It may well be that all 50 states participate.

I'm trying to persuade this young man to take the next year as a gap year before college and go to some other country for a while.

[dissenting crone]

19. Good point.

I don't blame you.
Sneaky way to reinstitute the draft that's not supposed to be.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

30. I used that website to change my address

last year. Also, used it change address for my husband. I don't remember anything about the draft mentioned.

[Stinky The Clown]

21. "it's all the little insidious things added up that turn into fascism"

Drip, drip drip ........

You're so right. It IS the little things that allow for the acceptance of the larger things that are to come. It is an insidious way to push an agenda, one little, tiny, "insignificant" drip at a time.

The problem with drips is they can quickly turn into torrents.

[dissenting crone]

22. "The problem with drips is they can quickly turn into torrents"

and be reported as insignificant by the press (if at all).

[seaofcrisis]

27. interesting

you say:
"Let's just say that ANTI-CHOICE activists are now getting a state-sponsored way to further their causes"

I'd just like to point out that the license plates say, "CHOOSE life" emphasis mine.

The plates say "choose." The word "choose" is right there. "Abortion is legal, but please choose life."

Yet you characterize it as anti-choice. Very interesting.

It'd be different if the plates said, "All women should wear burkkas" or "women who get abortions should be stoned to death because jebus told me so," or something along those lines. But it doesn't. The plate says, "choose life." But for some reason that makes you very very angry.

[Misunderestimator]

31. Sure, but the proceeds of paying for that plate go to ANTI-choice

causes. Come on... it sounds like you think people would actually think that far when they see the plate, to misconstrue that they might actually be condoning the fact that you have a choice... It's the beauty of the marketing of the right-wing agenda... Saying one thing and meaning something much more sinister, and very nearly opposite.

Yes, the fact that money is donated to right-wing anti-choice causes through state-sponsored sales of vanity theme plates, DOES indeed make me very, very angry.

What was your point?

[seaofcrisis]

33. where does the money go??

Wait, are you saying the money from those plates goes to a private organization?? That can't be legal!!

[seaofcrisis]

35. They are NOT anti-choice

After reading their website, I'm even more confused by your argument. The organization behind these tags is NOT anti-abortion. They are not trying to make abortion illegal. They do not protest abortion. They do not lobby against abortion. They have nothing about abortion on thier website.

They just give money to people to defray the cost of adoption. Adopting a kid is expensive. They help pay for it.

You made it sound like the money from the license plates is used to bomb abortion clinics or whatever. That isn't what's happening. Abortion is a choice, but so is adoption. This is a group that helps people who made that choice. What exactly is your problem with that? Why can't you support that choice? Why are YOU anti-choice?

[Misunderestimator]

36. LOL.... uh.... sure....

:eyes:

On edit... this bit of "news" they posted on their site, sure seems ANTI-choice to me:

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=24378

Here's a snippet:

"Planned Parenthood objects that the $70 fee for these specialty plates is to be used to support private non-profit crisis-pregnancy programs, but may not go to any agency or organization that "provides, promotes or refers for abortion." So what?"

SO WHAT? lovely.

Here's the site for all those curious about their stance on choice. Of course they have to couch it in all sorts of double-talk, but if Planned Parenthood attacks them, I'd say that they are NOT promoting the same agenda of choice.

http://www.choose-life.org/

[RUDUing2]

37. read some more..

http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_lice2.htm

Alabama: Specialty plates have been approved for production. Plates can be purchased for a premium of $50. The Alabama Pro-Life Coalition web site includes instructions on how to apply for a plate.

Arkansas: Proceeds will be distributed among agencies that counsel women to consider adoption. No money will go to agencies that either provide abortions or give referrals to such agencies.

Florida: The additional cost is $22, of which $20 is forwarded to pro-life groups. Florida counties are responsible for the distribution of funds; however, some have delegated this task to religious groups. Charlotte County in Florida spent a year trying to find agencies to whom they could dispense the $18,000 collected from the specialty plates. They started with a large list. But most agencies will refer women to abortion clinics under some circumstances. In late 2003-NOV, they finally found two that met the law's requirements: a Baptist Pregnancy Testing Center and a Roman Catholic Pregnancy Crisis Careline

Louisiana: Sales of the plates started on 2002-NOV-1. Distribution of funds was performed by three Fundamentalist Christian para-church organizations which formed the "Choose Life Council."

Maryland: The state adopted a regulation in 1998 that allow non-profit groups with at least 25 members to apply for a specialty license plate. Choose Life of Maryland, Inc. applied for and were granted "Choose Life" license plates.

Oklahoma: Twenty dollars will go to the Choose LIfe Assistance Program Revolving Fund which will be distributed to agencies which neither counsel or make referrals "for abortion, do not charge for their services, and help women in crisis pregnancies who choose adoption."

Tennessee: Motorists pay an extra $35 of which some is routed to New Life Resources, a pro-life agency.

Illinois: House bill HB 10 has been introduced and has been assigned to a committee. Senate bill SB 1502 was introduced in the Illinois senate, and has also been referred to a committee. It would prohibit funding any organization which is "involved or associated with any abortion activities, including counseling for or referrals to abortion clinics, providing medical 10 abortion-related procedures, or pro-abortion advertising.

Michigan: Senate Bill SB 112 was introduced on 2003-JAN-29. The plates would cost an extra $25, of which $20 would go to the "Choose Life fund."

New Hampshire: State Rep. Dan Itse (R-Fremont) is sponsoring a bill to allow plates to be sold for an extra $25 fee. No proceeds would be allowed to go to any agency that offers abortion, abortion counseling, or abortion referrals.

(more info is available by clicking on the link)

[Shakespeare]

38. No, it's a well-known slogan of the anti-abortion crowd.

It's not just simply and innocently a statement about choice, it's a slogan, just as "Where's the beef" or "Just do it" is a slogan. It's used to sell the movement, and on a matter on which the supreme court has been quite clear so far, the state should not be sanctioning plates that, either openly or subtly, defy that.

And you'd better believe it makes me very, very angry.

[China_cat]

8. It does when the state

is funneling a good portion of the cost of those plates to anti-choice groups and refuses to allow the pro-choice groups to even submit a design for a plate with the same donation agreement to something like Planned Parenthood.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Misunderestimator]

11. *ahem* Uh... welcome to DU.

Did you really mean to post that swill here? Got a problem with Democrats, do you?

[Danocrat]

12. Who hit the alert button

I was wondering when PatriotPoliceman was gonna go bye bye

[Misunderestimator]

13. I hit alert when I read it... but he was gone in a flash...

so I think someone beat me to it.

[Bridget Burke]

10. Look at the actual terminology.

If abortion is made illegal, there will be no "choosing" of any kind. Yes, there's a problem with having this viewpoint produced by the state. (Do convicts still make license plates?)

But anybody choosing this plate should be open to discussion. What if the state demanded abortion--as happens in China?

Quite a few pregnancies are unplanned--in marriage & outside it. But knowing that her options include ending a pregnancy enables a woman to "choose"--to say, yes, she wants this baby. So an unplanned baby doesn't have to be an unwanted baby. If the right of choice is lost, the license plate becomes meaningless.

[Solly Mack]

20. Precisely. In order to choose you must first have a choice

Though I don't doubt the nuances are lost on most right wingers.

[RUDUing2]

15. I like those plates (KEEP READING)

but I think they should also say..because CHOICE is a beautiful way of life.

my problem is with were the funding goes...if they are plates that say choice then they should go to groups that support choice...

[kayell]

24. I'm looking for a "Choose Death" plate with a pic of Glorious Leader

What's his body count up to these days?

[RUDUing2]

26. why are they not just honest and make a plate that says

"worship the fetus, to hell with everyone else"

[CornField]

25. It was defeated in Iowa

I believe the compromise was the "Love Our Kids" plates.

Honestly, I've never lived in a state that had so many license plate options. Have a look: http://www.dot.state.ia.us/mvd/ovs/plates/index.htm

[Egalitariat]

28. To me, "Choose Life" implies there is a choice and that you support...

having that choice. I mean, "choose" is the verb form of the word "choice", right?

If it said "Demand Life", then it would be a bigger issue to me.

[Stinky The Clown]

29. I'm putting my reply to your post, but it really applies to several others

We can try to nuance the message of these plates, but we all know what they really mean. Let's not kid ourselves.

[RUDUing2]

32. yes we know what they mean..but it is so much fun to comment to the

drivers of the car.."it is always nice to see that others support choice"...and watch them squirm...

[cheezus]

34. Here's what to do when you see someone with those on their car

or bumperstickers/whatever: strike up a conversation.

"I noticed your sticker. It's SO important to stop all those horrible abortions, isn't it?"

"yep, sure is"

"so, how many unwanted babies have you adopted so far?"

"what?"

"well, I assume since you care so much, that you've at least adopted two unwanted children."

shuts em up REAL fast

[idiosyncratic]

39. I actually know a woman who adopted twins

The pregnant girl was going to get an abortion and this woman and her husband convinced the girl to continue the pregnancy.

They adopted the babies, a boy and girl.

So, in their 40's, after their three children were all grownup and out of the house, they started a whole new family. :crazy:


And now the 15-year-old adopted daughter is "dating" an 18-year-old guy. For some reason, the mother seems powerless to prevent this.

This woman will probably be raising a third family, since abortion won't be a choice when her adopted daughter gets pregnant.

:silly:

[cheezus]

40. at least she's putting her money where her mouth is

like a bush voter who signs up for the military.